There is a general consensus amongst experts that climate change presents one of the most

serious environmental threats facing mankind across the globe today. Unfortunately,

developing countries especially those in Africa and specifically in sub-Saharan Africa are the

most vulnerable according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This

high vulnerability derives from their lack of capacity to adapt to the changes associated with

climate variability. Besides, the vulnerability is worsened by heavy reliance on renewable

natural resources for livelihoods, high unemployment rates, health related problems, poor

infrastructure, and poverty.

Consequently, climate change has predisposed human beings, animals and the ecosystem to

untold hardship, danger and damage respectively. This has been experienced in the form of

severe incidences of flooding, drought, heat waves, sea level rise, cyclones, hurricanes, and

changing rainfall patterns which have meant that rural farmers who implement their regular

annual farm business plans risk total crop failure due to climate change effects.

Developing strategies to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change in a sustainable

way will require collective effort at the local, national, and international levels. It will also

require multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches as climate change is a complex

phenomenon. With the science of climate change now becoming increasingly clear,

sustainability is turning more and more into an issue for education and capacity enhancement.

This is because university education provides leadership in research, training and innovation

responsible for sustainable economic development of any nation.

Effective adaptation and mitigation of complex global challenges such as climate change

requires well-coordinated and collaborative efforts to galvanise ad hoc response activities at

individual and institutional levels, create new curricula, new teaching methods, new

pedagogies and university governance structures suitable for building necessary capacities for

climate change adaptation and mitigation. At the same time, there is need for collaborative

platforms for clusters of experts working on climate change adaptation in different

institutions to share multidimensional, multidisciplinary, multicultural thinking and evidence-

based experiences in order to anchor the African voice and fully embed the new curricula and

There is a general consensus amongst experts that climate change presents one of the most

serious environmental threats facing mankind across the globe today. Unfortunately,

developing countries especially those in Africa and specifically in sub-Saharan Africa are the

most vulnerable according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This

high vulnerability derives from their lack of capacity to adapt to the changes associated with

climate variability. Besides, the vulnerability is worsened by heavy reliance on renewable

natural resources for livelihoods, high unemployment rates, health related problems, poor

infrastructure, and poverty.

Consequently, climate change has predisposed human beings, animals and the ecosystem to

untold hardship, danger and damage respectively. This has been experienced in the form of

severe incidences of flooding, drought, heat waves, sea level rise, cyclones, hurricanes, and

changing rainfall patterns which have meant that rural farmers who implement their regular

annual farm business plans risk total crop failure due to climate change effects.

Developing strategies to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change in a sustainable

way will require collective effort at the local, national, and international levels. It will also

require multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches as climate change is a complex

phenomenon. With the science of climate change now becoming increasingly clear,

sustainability is turning more and more into an issue for education and capacity enhancement.

This is because university education provides leadership in research, training and innovation

responsible for sustainable economic development of any nation.

Effective adaptation and mitigation of complex global challenges such as climate change

requires well-coordinated and collaborative efforts to galvanise ad hoc response activities at

individual and institutional levels, create new curricula, new teaching methods, new

pedagogies and university governance structures suitable for building necessary capacities for

climate change adaptation and mitigation. At the same time, there is need for collaborative

platforms for clusters of experts working on climate change adaptation in different

institutions to share multidimensional, multidisciplinary, multicultural thinking and evidence-

based experiences in order to anchor the African voice and fully embed the new curricula and

Foreword iii

Preface vii

Acknowledgment x

List of Abbreviations and Acronyms xi

List of Conributors xvi

SECTION ONE: CLIMATE CHANGE & AGRICULTURE 1

1. Understanding Climate Change: Implications for Nigerian 2

Agriculture, Policy and Extension

2. A Framework for Agricultural Adaptation to Climate Change in 14

Southern Nigeria

3. Economic Implications of Climate Change Adaptation in 35

Agriculture: Lessons and Challenges for Nigeria

4. Farm-level Strategies and Practices for Climate Change Adaptation 53

in Nigeria

5. Challenges of Agricultural Adaptation to Climate Change in Nigeria 93

6. International Initiatives and Capabilities of National Institutions for 110

Climate Change Adaptation

7. From Global to Local Action: Climate Change Adaptation in 131

International Policy and in Farming Systems in China

SECTION TWO: CLIMATE CHANGE & HIGHER EDUCATION 143

8. The Need for Curriculum Development and Knowledge of Climate 144

Change Issues in Universities: The Case of University of Nigeria, Nsukka

9. Climate Change and the Need for New Curriculum Development in 158

Nigerian Universities

10. Climate Change and Sustainable Development: Challenges of Curriculum 170

Development in Nigeria's Higher Education

11. Climate Change and Agriculture 179

12. Climate Change and Arts and Humanities 187

13. Climate Change and the Social Sciences 202

pedagogies on climate change adaptation and mitigation on African realities, cultures and

experiences. Achieving such links requires adjustments in the way universities function. One

such adjustment is the call for change in the curricula of African universities to accommodate

issues of climate change so as to clearly understand the phenomenon and at the same time

build the required capacity to adapt to the change.

Based on the above considerations, the book Climate Change, Agriculture and Higher Education:

Multidisciplinary issues and perspectives; could not have come at a more opportune time than now.

First, the content provides in-depth knowledge on climate change issues especially how it

affects agriculture and the ecosystem. The book clearly illustrates that climate change cuts

across all disciplines and fields of endeavour and hence requires a multidisciplinary approach

in seeking solutions to its catastrophic consequences on humanity, animals and the

ecosystem. Second, the contributors of the book chapters are renowned experts and

professionals in their respective fields of endeavour with proven records in teaching and

research in relevant areas of the subject matter. Besides, some of the chapters are already

outcomes of multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary research activities by experts drawn

from Africa, Asia and Europe. This has greatly enriched the book with multicultural

perspectives and showcases opportunity for experiential learning.

I am therefore confident that this book will be very useful to academicians, practitioners and

policy makers interested in climate change research, teaching, adaptation, mitigation and

collaborations. With the current wave to climate-proof courses in universities, this book will

be particularly useful in guiding departments and faculties in their curriculum development

efforts that are required to meet the need of academia and the industry as well.

Foreword iii

Preface vii

Acknowledgment x

List of Abbreviations and Acronyms xi

List of Conributors xvi

SECTION ONE: CLIMATE CHANGE & AGRICULTURE 1

1. Understanding Climate Change: Implications for Nigerian 2

Agriculture, Policy and Extension

2. A Framework for Agricultural Adaptation to Climate Change in 14

Southern Nigeria

3. Economic Implications of Climate Change Adaptation in 35

Agriculture: Lessons and Challenges for Nigeria

4. Farm-level Strategies and Practices for Climate Change Adaptation 53

in Nigeria

5. Challenges of Agricultural Adaptation to Climate Change in Nigeria 93

6. International Initiatives and Capabilities of National Institutions for 110

Climate Change Adaptation

7. From Global to Local Action: Climate Change Adaptation in 131

International Policy and in Farming Systems in China

SECTION TWO: CLIMATE CHANGE & HIGHER EDUCATION 143

8. The Need for Curriculum Development and Knowledge of Climate 144

Change Issues in Universities: The Case of University of Nigeria, Nsukka

9. Climate Change and the Need for New Curriculum Development in 158

Nigerian Universities

10. Climate Change and Sustainable Development: Challenges of Curriculum 170

Development in Nigeria's Higher Education

11. Climate Change and Agriculture 179

12. Climate Change and Arts and Humanities 187

13. Climate Change and the Social Sciences 202

pedagogies on climate change adaptation and mitigation on African realities, cultures and

experiences. Achieving such links requires adjustments in the way universities function. One

such adjustment is the call for change in the curricula of African universities to accommodate

issues of climate change so as to clearly understand the phenomenon and at the same time

build the required capacity to adapt to the change.

Based on the above considerations, the book Climate Change, Agriculture and Higher Education:

Multidisciplinary issues and perspectives; could not have come at a more opportune time than now.

First, the content provides in-depth knowledge on climate change issues especially how it

affects agriculture and the ecosystem. The book clearly illustrates that climate change cuts

across all disciplines and fields of endeavour and hence requires a multidisciplinary approach

in seeking solutions to its catastrophic consequences on humanity, animals and the

ecosystem. Second, the contributors of the book chapters are renowned experts and

professionals in their respective fields of endeavour with proven records in teaching and

research in relevant areas of the subject matter. Besides, some of the chapters are already

outcomes of multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary research activities by experts drawn

from Africa, Asia and Europe. This has greatly enriched the book with multicultural

perspectives and showcases opportunity for experiential learning.

I am therefore confident that this book will be very useful to academicians, practitioners and

policy makers interested in climate change research, teaching, adaptation, mitigation and

collaborations. With the current wave to climate-proof courses in universities, this book will

be particularly useful in guiding departments and faculties in their curriculum development

efforts that are required to meet the need of academia and the industry as well.

The most significant damage done to the environment that future generations will feel is

caused by climate change. Climate change is a result of pollutants from activities in our global

economy exceeding the ability of the earth to absorb them. In the case of climate change, the

pollutant is carbon dioxide, which together with water is the main product of fossil fuel

combustion from which virtually all aspects of the global economy activities are based. No

doubt, the contemporary world today is paying the price of industrialisation and

unsustainable human activities as a result of climate change and global warming, which has

sounded a global warning as to the relationship between our actions and the environment. The

catastrophic impacts of global warming, drought and desertification, soil erosion, sea level

rise, among others, is better imagined.

Agriculture, considered as the mainstay of the economy of developing nations involves four

broad systems of land use: crop production, animal husbandry, fishery and forestry. These

economic activities have become vulnerable to the vagaries of climate change. Over 70% of

the Nigerian populace are predominantly farmers and they lack the adaptive capacity to

confront these challenges. These environmental challenges include population pressure and

continuous exploitation of marginal lands, aggravating the process of drought and

desertification in the arid and semi-arid areas such as Northern Nigeria, severe gully erosion in

the Eastern States of Nigeria, coastal and marine erosion and land subsidence in the coastal

and riverine states, flooding in the low-lying belt of mangrove and fresh swamps along the

coast, the plains of large rivers and short-lived flash floods in the inland rivers, uncontrolled

logging with inherent problems of the destruction of biodiversity, inappropriate agricultural

practices, destruction of watersheds, soil-crust formation caused by loss of water, destruction

of vast agricultural lands, oil pollution from oil spillage and gas-flaring related problems and

industrial pollution, municipal waste generation and urban decay to name but a few.

With the science of climate change now becoming increasingly clear, sustainability is turning

more and more into an issue for education. University education provides leadership in

research, training and innovation responsible for sustainable development of any nation.

Effective adaptation to complex global challenges such as climate change requires well-

coordinated and collaborative efforts to galvanise ad hoc response activities at individual and

14. Climate Change and Veterinary Sciences 215

15. Climate Change and Biological Sciences 227

16. Climate Change and Engineering and Technology 236

17. Climate Change and Environmental Sciences 245

18. Climate Change and Law 263

19. Climate Change and Health Sciences and Technology 275

20. Climate Change and the Physical Sciences 291

Index 315

The most significant damage done to the environment that future generations will feel is

caused by climate change. Climate change is a result of pollutants from activities in our global

economy exceeding the ability of the earth to absorb them. In the case of climate change, the

pollutant is carbon dioxide, which together with water is the main product of fossil fuel

combustion from which virtually all aspects of the global economy activities are based. No

doubt, the contemporary world today is paying the price of industrialisation and

unsustainable human activities as a result of climate change and global warming, which has

sounded a global warning as to the relationship between our actions and the environment. The

catastrophic impacts of global warming, drought and desertification, soil erosion, sea level

rise, among others, is better imagined.

Agriculture, considered as the mainstay of the economy of developing nations involves four

broad systems of land use: crop production, animal husbandry, fishery and forestry. These

economic activities have become vulnerable to the vagaries of climate change. Over 70% of

the Nigerian populace are predominantly farmers and they lack the adaptive capacity to

confront these challenges. These environmental challenges include population pressure and

continuous exploitation of marginal lands, aggravating the process of drought and

desertification in the arid and semi-arid areas such as Northern Nigeria, severe gully erosion in

the Eastern States of Nigeria, coastal and marine erosion and land subsidence in the coastal

and riverine states, flooding in the low-lying belt of mangrove and fresh swamps along the

coast, the plains of large rivers and short-lived flash floods in the inland rivers, uncontrolled

logging with inherent problems of the destruction of biodiversity, inappropriate agricultural

practices, destruction of watersheds, soil-crust formation caused by loss of water, destruction

of vast agricultural lands, oil pollution from oil spillage and gas-flaring related problems and

industrial pollution, municipal waste generation and urban decay to name but a few.

With the science of climate change now becoming increasingly clear, sustainability is turning

more and more into an issue for education. University education provides leadership in

research, training and innovation responsible for sustainable development of any nation.

Effective adaptation to complex global challenges such as climate change requires well-

coordinated and collaborative efforts to galvanise ad hoc response activities at individual and

14. Climate Change and Veterinary Sciences 215

15. Climate Change and Biological Sciences 227

16. Climate Change and Engineering and Technology 236

17. Climate Change and Environmental Sciences 245

18. Climate Change and Law 263

19. Climate Change and Health Sciences and Technology 275

20. Climate Change and the Physical Sciences 291

Index 315

institutional levels across Africa, to create new curricula, new teaching methods, new

pedagogies and university governance structures suitable for building necessary capacities

for climate change adaptation. Beyond advocacy, there is the glaring need to incorporate

climate change issues in the curriculum of our universities. Climate change affects all aspects

of human life. The proposed curriculum challenges students to seek integrated approaches

to the study by drawing from a cross multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary fields in

universities. Integrating these core disciplines will provide students with substantive

knowledge required to analyse and diagnose multidimensional problems such as

malnutrition, extreme poverty, climate change, and infectious diseases control.

Two Projects: The Springboard for this Book

This book is a product of two transdisciplinary international research projects namely;

“Developing a framework for agricultural adaptation to climate change in Southern Nigeria”

which was funded by the British Department for International Development (DFID) and

implemented by the British Council Nigeria under the Development Partnership in Higher

Education (DelPHE) Programme. The other project, tagged “Influencing curriculum

development and knowledge of climate change issues at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka

and environs” was funded by the global change SysTem for Analysis, Research and Training

(START), based in Washington, DC, USA under the African Climate Change Fellowship

Programme (ACCFP).

During the course of implementing these two research projects, numerous activities

including workshops, international conferences, round tables, high level policy dialogues,

focus group discussions, seminars, and other knowledge valorisation strategies were

conducted in order to realise the aims of the projects. Several professional papers cutting

across disciplines, countries and continents were presented to showcase adaptation and

mitigation measures against climate change in agriculture. The first ever forum at the

University of Nigeria, Nsukka to discuss the issue of influencing curriculum development to

integrate issues of climate change was held in 2009 at the University.

Over 100,000 stakeholders drawn from the academia (researchers and students), policy

makers, private sector, civil society actors, farmers and farmer organisations, and the media

have participated directly in the two projects mentioned above. These projects were also

implemented through various bilateral and multilateral partnerships across Africa and

Europe thereby drawing strength and lessons that enriched this book.

Section One of the book, Climate Change and Agriculture provides a clear understanding of the

inter-relationships between agriculture and climate change in terms of the causes, impacts,

strategies for mitigation and adaptation, and the constraining factors to adaptation. It shows

on a global level how climate change issues are being addressed and the lessons for Nigeria,

Africa and other developing countries.

Section Two of the book, Climate Change and Higher Education argues for the need for reforms

in the educational system of universities paying particular attention to curriculum

development. It shows the relationship between climate change and relevant disciplines

including agriculture, arts and humanities, biological sciences, education, engineering and

technology, environmental sciences, health sciences and technology, law, physical sciences,

social sciences, and veterinary sciences, citing specific examples in each case. This section also

argues for the need to develop a new curriculum to include issues of climate change in the

respective university faculties. It also identifies examples of courses that could be introduced

in the respective university faculties that will cover issues of climate change. It also shows

examples of existing courses in the respective faculties that could be revised to accommodate

issues of climate change. Finally, the section examines the process of curriculum

development in universities and makes recommendations on how curriculum development

reforms could be facilitated.

Benefits of this book

It is with delight that I urge you to enjoy the informative presentations, exciting analyses, and

illuminating postulations from the selected experts that contributed book chapters. There is

no doubt that they are all critical for an enriched understanding of climate change issues and

its implication on agriculture and education. Therefore, the book serves as a reference tool for

research, teaching, learning, policy advocacy, capacity building, knowledge brokerage, and

knowledge valorisation. It is an important source of reference material for policy makers and

technocrats, professionals, researchers, scholars, teachers, students and practitioners.

institutional levels across Africa, to create new curricula, new teaching methods, new

pedagogies and university governance structures suitable for building necessary capacities

for climate change adaptation. Beyond advocacy, there is the glaring need to incorporate

climate change issues in the curriculum of our universities. Climate change affects all aspects

of human life. The proposed curriculum challenges students to seek integrated approaches

to the study by drawing from a cross multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary fields in

universities. Integrating these core disciplines will provide students with substantive

knowledge required to analyse and diagnose multidimensional problems such as

malnutrition, extreme poverty, climate change, and infectious diseases control.

Two Projects: The Springboard for this Book

This book is a product of two transdisciplinary international research projects namely;

“Developing a framework for agricultural adaptation to climate change in Southern Nigeria”

which was funded by the British Department for International Development (DFID) and

implemented by the British Council Nigeria under the Development Partnership in Higher

Education (DelPHE) Programme. The other project, tagged “Influencing curriculum

development and knowledge of climate change issues at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka

and environs” was funded by the global change SysTem for Analysis, Research and Training

(START), based in Washington, DC, USA under the African Climate Change Fellowship

Programme (ACCFP).

During the course of implementing these two research projects, numerous activities

including workshops, international conferences, round tables, high level policy dialogues,

focus group discussions, seminars, and other knowledge valorisation strategies were

conducted in order to realise the aims of the projects. Several professional papers cutting

across disciplines, countries and continents were presented to showcase adaptation and

mitigation measures against climate change in agriculture. The first ever forum at the

University of Nigeria, Nsukka to discuss the issue of influencing curriculum development to

integrate issues of climate change was held in 2009 at the University.

Over 100,000 stakeholders drawn from the academia (researchers and students), policy

makers, private sector, civil society actors, farmers and farmer organisations, and the media

have participated directly in the two projects mentioned above. These projects were also

implemented through various bilateral and multilateral partnerships across Africa and

Europe thereby drawing strength and lessons that enriched this book.

Section One of the book, Climate Change and Agriculture provides a clear understanding of the

inter-relationships between agriculture and climate change in terms of the causes, impacts,

strategies for mitigation and adaptation, and the constraining factors to adaptation. It shows

on a global level how climate change issues are being addressed and the lessons for Nigeria,

Africa and other developing countries.

Section Two of the book, Climate Change and Higher Education argues for the need for reforms

in the educational system of universities paying particular attention to curriculum

development. It shows the relationship between climate change and relevant disciplines

including agriculture, arts and humanities, biological sciences, education, engineering and

technology, environmental sciences, health sciences and technology, law, physical sciences,

social sciences, and veterinary sciences, citing specific examples in each case. This section also

argues for the need to develop a new curriculum to include issues of climate change in the

respective university faculties. It also identifies examples of courses that could be introduced

in the respective university faculties that will cover issues of climate change. It also shows

examples of existing courses in the respective faculties that could be revised to accommodate

issues of climate change. Finally, the section examines the process of curriculum

development in universities and makes recommendations on how curriculum development

reforms could be facilitated.

Benefits of this book

It is with delight that I urge you to enjoy the informative presentations, exciting analyses, and

illuminating postulations from the selected experts that contributed book chapters. There is

no doubt that they are all critical for an enriched understanding of climate change issues and

its implication on agriculture and education. Therefore, the book serves as a reference tool for

research, teaching, learning, policy advocacy, capacity building, knowledge brokerage, and

knowledge valorisation. It is an important source of reference material for policy makers and

technocrats, professionals, researchers, scholars, teachers, students and practitioners.

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